Basic Information

We are a third-generation family farm entering our 10th season of production. We are located in North Central Wisconsin (Near Athens WI). We have a highly diversified Certified Organic farm which includes a 20 week Community Supported Agriculture Program; vegetable, herb, fruit production; maple syrup; grass fed beef, pastured pork and organic eggs; organic grains including wheat and oats, and farm to table pizzas May-October.

Sales

You can see information on our CSA here, and visit us at the Wausau Farmers Market Every Saturday (other than Thanksgiving and Christmas weeks). For more information on what we offer see farm products and click here to see where to find our food.

Sustainability

Stoney Acres Farm is centered around the goal of increasing environmental sustainability for our farm, community and food system. Here are some of the specific steps we are taking around sustainability!

Certified Organic Production - The USDA has very specific and strict standards which prohibit the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides; require diversity in crop rotation; Soil and Water testing; the use of specific livestock methods and the use of organic feeds as well as much much more. We have been using organic methods since we moved here and after observing the three year transition period we became a USDA Certfied Organic Farm in 2009. We continue to certify because we believe that certifiction ensures a specific standard for eaters everywhere. We also feel we go beyond this standard in many ways.

Rotational Grazing and Pastured Meats - All of our animals are raised on pastures and all ruminants are 100% pasture and grass-fed meaning their feed is all pasture during months when grazing is possible - usually April-November- and the receive hay during the winter. All non-ruminant animals are fed organic grains (all chickens receive 100% certified feed) produced on our farm or sourced locally and/or non-GMO non-sprayed grains from our neighbors farm (for pigs) to supplement their pasture consumption. In the winter we collect animal manure which is composted at hot temperatures and used to fertilize fields. Our animals are given spaces and shelters which fit best with their own natural behaviors and they are treated in a humane manner throughout their life course.

Renewable Energy - Spring 2013 we installed a 8kW photo-voltaic solar panel system on our packshed barn and a 90% efficient Wood gasification system to heat our packshed, our greenhouse (for 2014), and all water for the commercial kitchen. We use only fallen wood from our own 20 acres of woods and wood ash is incorporated into our composting system. We expect these investments to cover at least 75% of our yearly electricity use and a similar proportion of total farm energy. In the next five years we also expect to add oil production for food and tractor fuel and to convert to all hybrid and electric vehicles (right now our car is a hybrid electric).

Biodiversity - We strive for a high level of diversity on our farm from the many things we grow to a diversity of habitat for wild animals. Our farm includes planned insect and wild animal habitats as well as unplanned natural areas surrounding all farm fields. We grow over 185 varieties of plants, over 80 types of crops and value diversity of everything from tomatoes to forests.

Low Food Miles - Stoney Acres uses semi-centralized distribution for CSA boxes and limits deliveries to a 35 mile radius from the farm.